The Pareto’s Law (20/80 Law) has its foundation in business economics; a principle named after the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed that 80% of Italy’s income was received by 20% of its population.

Vilfredo Pareto

The concept is that most results in any situation are determined by a small number of causes.

I discovered this concept a year ago while googling for some money-saving advice and stumbled upon a financial blogger’s website who wrote:

“…I sometimes accused myself of being lazy for not “working hard” but I realized what I was doing was living an 80/20 lifestyle and in fact probably being a lot more productive than those working harder than myself”.

It took me a while to actually digest and grasp this logics…until I applied it to pickup and getting women.

Most of your (good) results in life will have come from the least amount of work you’d put into life.

The Higher-Education Guy

Classic case is the higher-education guy. He isn’t satisfied with an associates degree, so he strives for a 4 year degree, masters, then…

He puts massive amounts of time, money and effort into higher learning [80% worth]…which is great by the way, but he rarely ever sees returns in accordance with the amount of time and energy he’d put in.

Which had he only applied himself 20% minimum effort towards higher learning, he would’ve achieved 80% (in) return from his 20% meager effort.

This may sound totally radical to most, but I’m of the opinion that going to college is a waste of time scam set up by the system in order to keep us in debt for life via student loans, financial aid and other such grants- or better yet, grants with a catch.

So this is the system feeding off of human’s tendency to be irresponsible and lazy; especially those of us under the age of 21.

This novel radical take on higher education isn’t just “Kenny’s take”, but tons of studies by reputable sources have shown that over the past 15 years especially, those who graduated college aren’t any more successful in the job market nor in life, than those who only had high school diplomas. But the mainstream media will never circulate these findings (for obvious reasons).

Another classic analogy that of the employee who willingly kisses ass to his bosses, volunteers for the extra work load (although he truly doesn’t want to), works the hardest and longest hours, does his job proficiently and some [giving 80% + effort]; yet he’s the least paid and the first to unfortunately get severed in a down economy while his co-workers who had only put 20% into their work details, held onto their jobs and got pay raises in the process.

He puts 80% max effort into courting a specific girl whom he likes: buying flowers, wines and dines her, spends on lavish meals, gifts for her birthday and Valentine’s, talks to her on the phone for 5 hours straight…daily…

Even if he does get to sleep with the girl after relinquishing 80% output/effort, he could’ve still slept with her had he only given 20% effort! So that’s money, time, effort and phone minutes saved.

Most cases however, the nice guy almost always fails despite putting 80% effort into a specific girl.

I’ve fucking been that nice guy!

A bad boy on the other hand who doesn’t give a shit, will have only given 20% effort (nothing tangible), yet gets the girl, while the guy who had given 80% is left to go home to choke the chicken for the next 6 months.

The nice guy, the college-educated chump and the kiss-ass employee all have 3 things in common:

They all played the game of life wrong by giving max effort and expecting to receive HUGE dividends and returns on their investments [which sounds logical but isn’t workable]!

People who are successful in this dog-eat-dog world, really haven’t done shit to attain success!

The classic cliche of, “Work hard and you’ll get far in life”, is utter bullshit, and just an ego-boosting cliche- nada más!

Just as in music and the entertainment business, most guys who make it big were discovered by chance; being at the right place, right time, and spotting the right individuals.

They struck luck!

It wasn’t that they were so talented and had the most melodic voices on the planet (as much as they’d love to believe so). They were merely at the right place, right time and were heard and seen by the right person (producer, director, etc.).

On the other hand, the aspiring/struggling actor who’s been putting 80% effort into his acting career, a million acting classes under his belt, showing up at every audition, toting a portfolio with his degrees and accolades from acting school…he will never make it in Hollywood!

The aspiring singer who believes he’s the next Michael Jackson, has a bachelor’s degree in a pertinent music field from Juilliard, he starves himself by spending the little financial resources he has on studio time to record demos, shops around NYC at every major-record label looking to get signed…he will never make it in music!

Why not?

He’s expended too much resources, too much money, effort, time and work in pursuing that goal!

His max input/effort was 80% instead of a mere 20, which would’ve ceded him a much better chance.

50 Cent sucks at rapping (we all agree), Jay Z’s lyrics have been spent, recycled and played out since 2001, yet these guys are making it and have only put a meager bullshit 20% work into their craft since debuting.

50 Cent

50 Cent was selling drugs and didn’t give a shit about becoming a professional rapper (until he was cajoled). Jay Z likewise was selling drugs and rapping as a mere pastime.

Those guys weren’t striving to become artists, nor were they putting in 80% effort into music, nor were they hiring vocal coaches, neither were they enrolling into the top music school in the country…

Their 20% bullshit effort was sufficient enough (freestyling on the bloc or in the clubs) until someone recommended them to someone else, to someone who knew someone, who knew someone else [the art of networking].

In relation to picking up chicks, it’s the girl whom you’re least chasing, and least thinking about, will be the 1 you’ll get to bang.

More Economical Statistical Trends And Sayings:

20% of employees are responsible for 80% of a company’s output, gains and revenues.

20% of customers are responsible for 80% of revenue.

Repeat customers account for 80% of your business income (they present 80% of your money).

The ratios can even be 10/90 or 1/99 in some businesses.

A minority creates a majority.

Case in point: Sloppily written articles which I’d only put 20% work and forethought into, always turn out to be the most riveted, viewed and commented posts, while the ones I’d toiled 3 days over trying to perfect, receive less views and comments.

This is the Pareto’s Law [80/20 rule] at work.

On a related note- I’m fond of learning new languages. But over the last 13 years of studying countless languages (some I’ve mastered), I noticed a worrying trend, that the harder I study; the least I retain. The least time spent studying; the more I remember, retain and progress.

This is again the Pareto’s Law [80/20 rule] in motion. You give 80; you’ll receive 20. You give 20; you’ll receive 80.

Now I’m not advocating for guys to get lazy and become loafers and slackers in life…because I’m not!

I’m merely stating that according to the Pareto’s principle of economics, you do not have to expend yourself nor your resources and efforts in order to reap massive benefits in life!

Giving your all often times results in failure in any genre of life: work, business, dating, sex…

Doing 15 to 20% will suffice!

Buying the girl the most expensive gift in order to impress her is more liable to produce a disagreeable effect than if you’d bought her something inexpensive from the heart.

80/20 rule again.

As a former poet [yes, Kenny did stand-up poetry between 2003-2005], my best pieces of work (written or freestyle) were composed whenever I’d given little next to no effort.

The pieces which I’d spent 3 days composing, brainstorming and trying to perfect by expending 80% max effort, were awful!

Likewise, if you want more successes in sex and dating; apply the 80/20 rule of Pareto’s Law.

Harness just 20% of your overall Game and skills with women and you’ll witness a massive shift towards more positive results.

25 thoughts on “Pareto’s Law [The 80/20 Rule] Applied To Life And Pickup”

Fuck me, this was so brilliant I actually got goose bumps when I read about the studying. Its Exam season this side and to qualify for one, you need to pass the pre-test with 75%, with no studying, I wrote two tests and got into the sixties. On Wednesday, I decided to study hard, burn the midnight oil, I didn’t even get 20%. It frustrated the hell out of me, smoked weed and ate some chips.

And Kenny, also, my blog post today, was written on my Blackberry on my way to school, it was very short and concise, yet it got the most views…hmm…you hit on something there, let me read it again, let it sink in.

The studying thing is a paradox I was never able to figure out. You burn the midnight oil and got 20% LMBAO!

99% of my posts are written on my Blackberry, so much props there for having that in common.

It’s always the posts and articles you put less effort into, are the ones people respond to. I’d checked this out over the past 6 months by analyzing my blog stats. The articles I worked the hardest on aren’t that well received. The ones I write with an “IDGAF attitude”, those go viral lol!

What it really comes down to is perfection. No one likes a perfectionist. People are drawn to others who have faults, which is why in pickup as you’d know, we teach for guys to reveal some vulnerabilities to the target to humanize yourself instead of appearing to be perfect and too put together.

With that said, articles with grammatical and spelling errors are more likely to get massive views (because it shows you’re human) opposed to ones which has no errors.

I disagree. Yes the 80/20 rule is true but its not spending 20% of the time its 20% of the methods. Choose the right 20% and give it your all. In terms of blogging you write and give it ur full attention. But twitter and seo is in that vast 80% were returns are minimal. I dont think laziness and a casual attitude is paired with the pareto rule. Actors and artists are successful from hardwork too, the luck/magic card is a way of rationalising giving up.

20% of the method is still applicable and that’s basically what it is. For instance, read a tutorial on how to pick up chicks, and let’s say that this book has 300 pages, only 20% of that book would’ve been usable material while 80% is just fillers and not tactical stuff. So you are right in that it’s 20% of the method. However, applying only 20% effort into seducing a particular girl is the way to go, opposed to giving your all, especially when she’s just giving 10% (which is almost always the case). So either way, it’s still understandable.

Although I disagree with your politics (from your other posts on politics which I skimmed) I can agree with you here on the college being a scam take.
I don’t know much of the pareto law and it’s my first time hearing of it, nor do I know of pick up, but I have enough experience and meet enough people to know that college is a scam.

Kenny I don’t mean to spam your blog but I wanted to post this video although it’s your video but it hasn’t been given justice on the tube circuit. By the way I will be down in the caribbean soon and might visit where you are right now so we can game together and you show me the good night spots.

Yes I am, I’m at http://www.EmLovz.wordpress.com now. I sent this blog to a friend of mine without reading much of it, but I finally got the chance to really read through the entire article and I have to say, the different perspectives you used were very good. Really got me thinking about why this happens.

I’d love it if you would do a follow up blog on the reasons why this scenario always rings true. I know it works in seduction and I’m finding it more and more in the workplace. I used to be that crazy hard worker who always said yes to everything and since becoming a coach, I’ve really found my boundaries and learned what I will and will not accept. It’s funny because I feel the less I do the better everything seems to be. I think you did a great job summarizing the concept, now I’m challenging you to find the reasons why it works.

A follow-up as to why this happens goes without saying. But it’s funny how we all grew up being taught to follow certain protocols (@ work, etc.), but it always seem to be the wrong advice. Being that you were that hard-working employee yet was always lagging in comparison to others, you definitely get where I’m coming from.

Like you said, the less you do, the better everything seems to go. This has been 1 of my achilles heel in seduction; I always want to invest too much to the point of overkill, and my returns are fucking dismal lol!

Anyway Em, thanks for sending my blog to a friend. You’re like part of my new endorsement team.

I’ll contact you about the guest posting since I still have your contact details from ages ago.

By the way, will you be attending the pickup conference in September via Casanova Crew out of Orange County, Cali, or you haven’t heard of the event yet?

Not sure I understand this concept completely and how to apply it to my life. But I like the idea of getting 80% from 20% of work! Completely on board with that!
And it is true that a guy can put 20% in and most likely get all the way with a girl. So true!

Well it’s self explanatory and you pretty much got it. Whatever we do in life, we don’t need to give 80% in order to succeed. Just a minimal 20% is enough most times. And the more you give, your chances lessens.

The Pareto Principle is one of the more interesting concepts out there for understanding how the world works, and how our assumptions are often flawed. I majored in Economics in college, so I know a thing or two about flawed assumptions (but that’s another whole discussion, lol).

Just as in Pareto’s day, today a minority of all people in the US earn the vast majority of the income (I’m not sure if it’s 80/20 exactly, but it’s along those lines). The numbers are even more skewed when it comes to wealth.

If I recall correctly, on the eve of the French Revolution, something like 5% of the population (the top priests and nobility) had almost all the wealth. 95% of the people were poor.

As far as game, it’s pretty well-known that 20% of the men get 80% of the sex (or similar proportions) (not necessarily 80% of the women–which is an important distinction).

And 80% of your own sex will come from 20% of your girls. The vast majority of your results (numbers, dates, sex) will come from a minority of your approaches. Paul Janka is the classic case in point: 90% + of his approaches went nowhere. All of his dates and sex came from the 10-11%. Tom Torero has reported similar stats.

Ask.fm was published on 16th June year 2010 being a Formspring’s rival and quickly, overtook it in as much as worldwide traffic generation is concerned. Its service rapidly became popular worldwide including an approximate variety of eighty millions users around 2013, on a daily basis posting over thirty million answers which makes it one of several two hundreds website which are most used by individuals in the whole world.

But it was these exps that made me see my fault – trying to prove my worth , working too hard for validation and being insecure . I seen this happen with people at all levels – politics , sports , movies – if You are ppl pleaser , trying to validate through them , always looking for positive reaction – leads to huge disappointments . best – is to have fun and find out – what works for You , rather then for ppl you working for .